" I thanked him for his kind intentions, saying
that I was very willing to take the will for the deed in this case, and
had no wish to test his kindness by a fit of sickness.
He came in one evening fatigued with a hard day's work, and retired
early to bed. His sleeping apartment adjoined the sitting-room. I had
several letters to write which occupied me till a late hour; the family
had all retired. I finished writing just as the clock struck twelve. At
that moment, I was almost startled by Terry's voice singing in a very
high key. My first thought was that he had gone suddenly crazy. With a
light in my hand I stepped softly into the room, to find Terry sitting
up in bed and singing at the top of his voice, a song in the "Native
Irish Tongue." By this time he had roused every one in the house; and
others of the family entered the room. By the pauses which he made, we
knew when he reached the end of each verse. He sang several verses; at
the time I knew how many, but am unable now to recall the exact number.
He must surely have been a sound sleeper or the loud laughter which
filled the room would have waked him, for the scene was ludicrous in the
extreme: Terry sitting up in bed, sound asleep, at the hour of midnight,
and singing with a loud voice and very earnest manner, to an audience
who were unable to understand one word of the song.
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